Have to admit that I just don't *get* this one. It's interesting, but there's no way in which I would describe it as "world-class". And my scepticism goes well beyond my distaste for Rogue as a company, and it's not that I don't like spice (I *love* it). It may very well be an acquired taste--I get it, I love heavily peated scotch--but until I've acquired that taste, this just strikes me as gritty, earthy, smoky, and unpleasant. (432 characters)

What a tasty treat - Doc’s first Chilli Beer review! And it’s Rogue Chipotle Ale! And I need one more thing to exclaim to make it 3 in a row - BEER! Beer indeed, that nectar of Ninkasi, that provider of awesome feelings (i.e. tipsy-drunk) and lubricant of society, we hail you - Ave! *awkward pause* So yeah, this isn’t actually the first Chilli Beer I’ve had (I’ve had maybe 3-4 of this style before) and I do have a pretty high tolerance for chillies - had a ghost chilli in my curry the other week - so I might enjoy this muchly [not really a word], oh yes. Side note: Today we’ll also find out if Doc can complete an entire Chilli Beer review without saying “¡Ay, caramba!”.

Poured from a 650ml bottle into a Duvel tulip.

A: Presents an alluring cloudy deep amber body with a tight 1 cm khaki head that slowly dies down to a light lace covering... tasty as bro! 9/10.

S: Upfront a hickory smoked chilli is complemented by touches of sweet caramel and a hint of milk chocolate - very nice but the smokiness overpowers the other characters, as smoke has a tendency to do, otherwise this is quite an appetizing aroma. 8/10.

T: First off: Chipotle = yum! Rogue has crafted an intriguing and complex Chilli Beer here that only hints at the heat of a real jalapeño, with notes of; Hickory smoke, jalapeño, caramel, pepper and earthy hops. Finish is slightly bitter and the hops almost go unnoticed in the melee of flavour types (sweet/spice/umami/bitter). There is an odd effect of the mouth drying out in the aftertaste... not sure what that is but it doesn’t detract any points for me. 8/10.

M: Mid to light bodied with a light but dense carbonation, alright. 7/10.

D: OK for me being a bit of a fresh-chilli-in-my-Vindaloo* fanatic the spiciness of this brew is definitely lacking - I mean your customer base for this beer are people who can handle a bit of spice so really Rogue could have amped up the chilli a bit more. Other than that it’s simply another decent Rogue beer - goes down well. I like it. Sure as hell beats their Voodoo Doughnut Pretzel, Raspberry & Chocolate Ale which was surprisingly boring. Oh yeah, ¡Ay, caramba! [Dammit Doc!] 7/10.

Food match: It’s in the beers name - black bean and rice burrito with chipotle sauce.

Tasty stuff! The pour is good - orange colour,two fingers of foamy head, a bit murky. There is a definite smoky chipotle nose - just enough to let you know what you are getting into. The flavour is very pleasant, a solid caramel malt base with just enough smoke and pepper heat. It is far from overpowering and in my books, very well done. I don't drink many beers like this, but I could certainly acquire a taste for them! (423 characters)

Taste - 3/5Sip starts with a slightly watery, slightly sweet light malt flavor, transitions into a very earthy, slightly spicy (chile peppers) flavor. The end of the sip has some light alcohol flavor. I don't really like the earthiness of this beer. It makes the beer taste kinda like dirt. Or at least it brings to mind mental images of soil. The taste is not terrible, but this beer is not that great, and perhaps a little strange.

Overall - 3.25/5This beer was mediochre at best. It was way too earthy and was fairly flavorless, aside from a little bit of chile pepper spiciness. Definitely would not recommend this beer. (981 characters)

one of the few beers I have ever poured out, it was flat, oily, and tasted like liquid paprika, I was extremely disappointed and shocked. Considering the brewery it comes from and the esteem they accrue, I cannot understand how they allowed this to get onto shelves, I honestly don't think I have purchased another rogue beer since.

this beer is vile and tastes like an ashtray in a Mexican restaurant (402 characters)

Picked this up at Top Hops in New York recently, having never had this before. I liked the idea of this but as others alluded to on here, this turned out to be a lot less spicy than I thought as this beer reminded me of a smoked offering more than anything else. If I had some sausage or similar meat to pair this with, it could have been great to along with that. Instead, this was a letdown and something that was filling and relatively easygoing, more than anything else.

Dark pour to this with a moderate head and a fair amount of carbonation. I was expecting this to be more potent in the nose and the taste but that wasn't the case here as the smoke and meat notes nearly overtook everything else. The chili felt like a weak jalapeno and not the kind that would make me reach for a glass of water. Mouthfeel was fairly thick but not cloying and the aftertaste had a hint of chocolate-chili to lend a heavy feel to the back of this beer.

Yeah, this was light on alcohol but that's not what you're going to notice about this beer should you be fortunate enough to finish this off. My friend couldn't do that with his allotment so I ended up drinking his share as well as what was left in the bottle. While not a drain pour, this is not a beer for most people and should only be tried to satisfy a curiosity. Probably something I wouldn't try again but nevertheless glad that I had once, and one of the few beers that cries out for a meal to go along with it. Clearly not one of Rogue's better offerings. (1,511 characters)

Nice head, smells smokey.. Real smokey. Taste is what I expect. Smokey smokey. Not much heat maybe a little on the finish, it was a good tasting beer but I was looking for some heat not so much smoke flavor. Might buy again and pair it with food. (283 characters)

Rogue takes a lotta knocks on the site, but this was a malty, slightly sweet ale with some chew and a nice chipotle/mesquite heat to it. I liked it but would've preferred a higher abv. (184 characters)

I really enjoyed this beer although I will admit I was hoping for more heat. Poured into a pint glass I immediately noticed the smoked profile of the peppers. This also played alot into the silky mouthfeel as the beer warmed. This is my first review so please bear with me. Cheers. (281 characters)

I'm trying to figure out if this version of the beer has changed much, if at all, from prior years because it was a lot better than I remember. The appearance of the poor was a dark amber hue with a light head. The smell was smokey with a little bit of pepper mixed in with the hops and malt smells. The taste and mouthfeel are what I love the most about the beer. The taste is deeply smokey with just a little bit of spice on the back of the throat. It makes the beer an easy pairing with Spanish and Indian food. The mouthfeel as well coats your cheeks so that there's a light tingle from the spice. Overall was very nice and for the price I found it at (7.99) not a bad buy. (677 characters)

22 ounce bottle into signature pint glass, no bottle dating. Pours lightly hazy orange copper color with a 1-2 finger fairly dense light khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Light spotty soapy lacing clings down the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of caramel, toast, bread, chipotle pepper, light smoke, light citrus, floral, grass, and herbal/toasted earthiness. Nice and pleasant aromas with good balance of malt, hop, and chipotle pepper notes; with solid strength. Taste of caramel, toast, biscuit, chipotle pepper, light smoke, herbal, floral, grass, light citrus, and herbal/toasted earthiness. Slight herbal bitterness/pepper spice on the finish; with lingering notes of caramel, toast, biscuit, chipotle pepper, light smoke, herbal, floral, grass, and toasted earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Very nice balance and robustness of malt, pepper, and light hop flavors; with minimal pepper heat and no cloying flavors after the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a smooth and crisp mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with only a light warming present after the finish. Overall this is a very nice chile beer! All around good balance and robustness of malt, pepper, and light hop flavors; and very smooth to drink with the minimal heat from the peppers. A very enjoyable offering. (1,379 characters)

The beer is a hazy honey color. A foamy tan head recedes to a film with random thicker spots. Lacing is thin and looks like a world map.The aroma is malty with a bit of mustiness clinging to it before it gets interesting. Roasted peppers follow up the malts. The taste is a little more complex than the straight-forward aroma. Said malts come first, then hops come out to join the party. That musty note in the aroma also presents itself, as chipotle peppers heat up the finish, leaving a nice warmth going down the hatch. Mouthfeel is relatively dry and medium in weight.

Overall, I've only had a few pepper beers, and this one is by far the best so far. (691 characters)

S- The spices are noticeable, but the chipotle pepper aroma is vaguely there and not overpowering. Smells more on the smokey side.

T- The taste is quite unexpected in a beer, but goes hand in hand with the name of the beer, you definitely get a kick, but definitely not overpowering.

M- On the light-medium side, carbonated well.

O- I found myself looking at this beer in the store thinking, Rouge doesn't let down, so I decided to go for it. Man I was in for a surprise, it was not what I expected, but I fell in love sip after sip, but definitely not a beer to have in high quantities. Great Beer!

Agreed that it's not the chile beer with the most heat; that's because it tastes like actual chipotle peppers. Smooth and mildly hoppy nose, moderate carbonation, with warming chipotle finish. I would argue that the spicier beers are more of a novelty, whereas this one is more genuinely tasty and drinkable. If you like that kind of thing, of course, it's not for everyone. (374 characters)

Pours a hazy orange-brown with a foamy beige head that settles to wisps of film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace slowly drip into the remaining beer on the drink down. Smell is of smoked malt, band-aid, chipotle pepper, and slight fruit aromas. Taste is much the same with smoke, chipotle, and fruity flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of smoke bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer with a smoke and chipotle presence that comes across better in the flavor, but it lacks any sort of heat for a chile beer. (636 characters)

Wife picked this up for lil ol me. I'll say I passed it many a times. My error.

Pint glass pour and I am met with a slightly hazy amber colored ale and a decent sized cream colored head. Touch of lacing. Light head stays throughout the session.

The aroma is on the malty almost musky side. Spices are present, meaty, light jalapeno shines through and I like it :o) Yeast. Smoke and leather.

The taste is excellent for the style. Just a touch of heat that lingers...the entire sip and well after. Dulled jalapeno flavor, meat, orange, white pepper and a decent kick of hops to go along with the spice. This beer takes me right to that edge between enough and too much.

Not overly carbonated as the hops and flavor work in unison here.

Overall I really dug this. A bomber is probably enough for the palate, but the overall session was very enjoyable. The right amount of peppers is key and the Rogue crew nailed it here. I'm still getting a little heat and numbing of the gums as I write. Definitely one of my favorite Rogue beers and one I will be hitting up again. (1,070 characters)

Pours a clear copperish orange with a decent amount of dense white head. Aroma is sweet, mostly biscuit with some honey and a good helping of smoke with spice. Sweet biscuit with a metallic facet, the malt lasts a while before the smoky chipotle fades in and takes over until the grassy, bitter hops finish. I misspoke. The real finish is in the spice, which crescendos to a mild tingling on the lips. Pleasurable, not overwhelming. Feel is thin and finish is middling.

This is actually a decent spicy beer with the right amount of heat. Won't seek out again, because I'd just rather have something else, but there's a lot of room for error and they avoided all of it, so that's definitely commendable. (703 characters)

I did not get the fact that in the ingredients it mentions Chipotle, but in the description Jalapeños, but they are completely different.Amber color with a small head with a medium retention.Aroma of chipotles, but not aggressive, with hints of floral hops and sweet malts on the background.Fruity taste mixed with dry-smoked chipotles and floral hops. Dry and mildly bitter aftertaste with a residual spicy feeling in your throat and condiments on your tongue. On a second, the smoked flavor is so present that may not come just from the Chipotle.Medium body with good carbonation.Interesting beer, I liked the fact they limited the amount of chipotle added to the recipe, and its hops helps to refresh it. That would be a great beer to mix on a blind taste session. It is the kind that I am glad I tried it but not sure I would seek this again, but I would sure drink it again if it knocks my door. (906 characters)

General - This beer was from a bottle that poured this into a Sam Adams Perfect Pint glass.

Appearance - Great color to the beer, a nice clean amber color. Head was a great off white that diminished fairly slowly. Great lacing on the beer though. The color of the beer honestly reminds me a of a pepper for some reason!

Smell - A smoky scent to the beer with a slight (very mild) burn from the peppers. Really like it, different for sure, but very nice. I can smell a slight backbone of malt with a touch of hops although they aren't floral or fruity. Just a slight bitterness.

Taste - Very understated chipotle taste, really enjoyable. There is a slight burn at the back of the throat after drinking it but nothing that would be "overkill". A definite bitterness to this beer also, you can taste the hops in it more than I expected that you would be able to. The malted flavor stands up to the chipotle very well. There is a good smokey flavor with the beer also, not as severe or noticeable as a true smoked beer but there is a certain hint to it. Very nice.

Mouthfeel - A little on the thin side for a true amber ale, I would say light to medium light. Pretty highly carbonated also.

Overall - Something different that's not TOO different. If you were to drink this without knowing what it was you would know that it was with some sort of pepper but it's not too pronounced. Not something to have every day or in large quantities but for a random beer every once in a while it's good. (1,494 characters)